Author: Riverside Chan

Whenever a misfortune happens in our lives, we try to understand why it has occurred. Sometimes, we may seek out those who claim to see our past lifetimes for an explanation of present circumstances. We may try to rationalize and understand this from the viewpoint that we have something to payback and need to understand what our relationship is with those around us. But instead of taking responsibility for what is happening we are simply seeking reasons apart from our present conduct to explain why it has happened.

The Buddha once said that if one has been shot by an arrow, he should go about treating the injury. It doesn’t matter where the arrow came from. The practice of Ch’an looks directly into the present circumstances and applies treatment by clarifying the predicament and the causality from which it arose. However, the cure is in the present moment.

Whatever must be done, is done now. Whatever has been perceived as the past is gone and is irrelevant to the present. One may try to seek an explanation of what our present relationships and circumstances are to assist us in understanding our predicament. But can this understanding bring back the legs of an amputee? Can it restore sight to the blind? Whatever help is given by past life regressions diverts the mind from looking directly into the present moment. The cure, the answer and in fact the situation is in this present moment. Knowledge that negative conduct occurred in the past causing a problem may help us to alleviate other problems in the future, however, this is better accomplished by clarifying the mind and adjusting our thinking, moral conduct and actions to be healthier and more productive.

Sometimes analyses of past life regressions or the counsel of a fortune-teller can be quite counter-productive. The fortune-teller may bind us to the future as he or she perceives that it will come to pass. As a result we might abandon actions we would otherwise take to change the course of the future because we feel that it is predestined. Likewise, when one engages in past life regressions, he might feel absolved of responsibility for his present conduct. He feels it is predestined that he will suffer in this lifetime because of what has occurred in the past. This is simply not seeing clearly.

This article is not meant to judge whether past life regressions are good or bad, but moreover should caution the reader not to see his life as predestined based on an analysis of what may have occurred in the past. Ch’an practitioners take responsibility for their present situation acknowledging that it occurs as a result of causes and conditions. A proper understanding of causality will greatly assist in living a wholesome life. Hopefully, you will see the virtue in this.

The practice of Ch’an presents some interesting challenges for the practitioner. The beginning Ch’an student is often perplexed by concepts such as impermanence, voidness, emptiness, and no self. It is this latter category that often times presents the greatest challenge to the Ch’an student. Whereas the one is likely to accept the idea of impermanence or formlessness when it comes to recognizing that the self is non-existent. One draws an imaginary line at the self. We find it difficult to comprehend how there can be no self. “I see with these eyes,” one examines, “and I hear with my ears.” “In fact all my senses work to establish that I have a centrally located consciousness,” one ponders. “It is this consciousness that establishes my identity in this world.” Thus, in spite of the one’s ability to understand other Ch’an concepts the self in its self-proving manner prevents you from breaking your enslavement to the self.

But what of this mind that thinks therefore establishes that it is? Is it as mindful as one thinks? Does your mind, mind you? Upon sitting in meditation one soon finds the frustration of dealing with this unminding mind. The object of practice to sit and do nothing more than to stay on a simple method, such as counting the breath, at times proves to be an insurmountable obstacle. But what is the obstacle? The obstacle is the non-minding mind. As one sits a plethora of various images, thoughts, and sensory information is processed by the brain. Very little of this has anything to do with the endeavor at hand – that is, to sit and count the breath. If your mind is truly your own you would be able to disregard these thought patterns as they rise and stay on the method. However, one is lead astray far away from the method by a chain of linking thought patterns. Is this truly the your mind?

Some students become very shocked when they finally recognize that they cannot escape this stream of unsolicited thoughts. It is the unsuccessful action of sitting down and trying to stay on a single thought that ultimately gives you a peek at this illusory mind.

What is the illusory mind? The illusory mind is the product of all vexations, desires, aversions that one has generated and continues to generate in their mind. This generation and regeneration continues to add vexations until such time as you recognize that these thoughts are not the true self. This leads to seeing and abiding in your true nature. Until that time you continue to believe that your nature is essentially these thoughts.

The concept of generation and regeneration of vexatious thoughts can be somewhat complex to understand. One might examine such thoughts by following a particular desire. Suppose you are attracted to chocolate candy. The slightest mention by someone of chocolate candy might make your mouth water. Something more important is also happening. Your mind is creating the thought of the desire for this candy. If the mentioning of the chocolate candy is but brief, and your desire at that time is not strong enough, it will not spur you to take any action such as to go out and buy chocolate. However, if your desire is very strong you might immediately have the impulse to buy some chocolate candy. If you are at home and unable to purchase some chocolate this desirous thought may cause you to suffer for what you do not have. All of this desire for candy and the suffering which accompanies it becomes deeply seated in your mind. Because of this constant cycle of desire you will need very little external stimuli, if any, to formulate a hunger for chocolate candy. It would be as if you had sown a fertile field with seeds of weeds. This particular weed would be the desire for chocolate. After repeatedly sowing of the fields with this chocolate desire seed one would not need to resow the field in order to produce a bumper crop of this desire. The desire will arise on its own through its deep seated root in your consciousness.

The irony of the vexatious thoughts is that once one gives into such thoughts one is locked into this cycle of desire and suffering. A mind such as this can never be satiated. Likewise, the desire may be the wish to avoid a particular object, whether it is a person, food, place, or other thing. It is this giving in to the desire that will spin the wheel one more time to keep the momentum of the desire going. As simple as this sounds this is the very crux of the notion of the illusory mind. It is the essence of Samsara or the cycle of birth and death.

When you give into your desire do you truly satiate your desire? Perhaps for a moment your desire may be satiated. However, because of the reseeding of your mind with this desire it is like a weed which will once again pop up. Consider the analogy of drinking salt water when you are thirsty. In the immediate moment you may feel a temporary quenching of your thirst by feeling the fluid going down your throat. However, in just a few moments you will be thirsty. Not only will you be thirsty but you will be more thirsty than you were before. Such is the case of giving in to your desires, one can never be satiated by catering to such desires.

You might also consider the analogy of scratching an itch. Perhaps you ran across some poison ivy. Indeed the more you scratch, the more you will itch until your entire body will be covered with a redness. Such is our life. When we cater to our desires and attempt to satiate them we only serve to intensify the feeling. And the more we crave the more we create a strong illusory self. It is the self that is constantly craving. It craves attention, it craves love, it craves revenge, or anger – anything that is stimulated by the senses from the observation of the external phenomena.

Are we these cravings? For instance, when we sit to meditate by using the method of merely counting the breath, one’s mind should only be counting the breath, nothing else. Yet when we sit down, we discover that this is not such an easy task. Our scattered minds produce a myriad of thoughts. But if the mind is counting, how can theses scattered thoughts be our mind? Is it that we cannot control our mind? Or is it that our idea of what constitutes our mind is incorrect? If our mind follows the free flow of the conscious thoughts of desires and vexations, is this our mind? These desires and aversions are vexations arising out of the false recognition of external phenomena. How can our mind be the external phenomena?

To the unpracticed mind one is totally unaware that these thoughts are not the true mind. The unpracticed mind merely continues to act upon the vexations as they arise with no understanding from where they arise. To the practiced mind it sees these thoughts as non-arising from the mind but merely a product of the karmic flow. As the illusory mind is a product of the karmic flow it is impermanent. The thoughts can arise and fall. What allows the thoughts to return is that our mind is not calm. When our mind is not calm, the mind is confused and believes that these desires constitute the self. Because these desires arise they form the basis of the cycle of craving and suffering because of the inability to permanently satisfy that desire. The mind becomes further agitated. We view ourselves as only a composite of all of these vexatious thoughts. We do not see that these thoughts are only the regeneration of past vexatious thoughts. Thus, our mind is like muddy water. We view the world though this opaqueness and we believe the world to be this opaqueness.

When the mind is calm one views the world very clearly, one is liberated from the shackles of desires and aversions. One’s actions are then pure. One’s actions and thoughts are then motivated not by vexatious thoughts but by wisdom. For example, should one have a chocolate candy one would eat it and taste its sweetness, yet when finished would not hold the desire for future chocolates. Once finished eating the chocolate, the calm-minded person would continue on with whatever other endeavors they needed to undertake. There would be no remorse for the fact that the chocolate had been consumed and there was not more to be consumed. Neither would there be some form of anticipation or anxiety as to creating further desires for chocolates in the future.

With practice one begins to recognize desires and aversions for what they are, that is, impermanent thought waves. One sees that these vexatious thoughts do not belong to them, anymore than the weeds in the lawn belong to the lawn. With such recognition one understands, through perfect wisdom, that these weeds are not worthy of holding onto. With this wisdom one can see the true self.

Who is reading this?
Who indeed?
Find that person!
Every time I turn, that person is not there. Where do I search?
Right there.
But I can’t see it.
What are you looking for?
It! You know! The true nature.
Who wants to know?
I do!
Who is that?
What are you talking about?
Nothing.
It seems so.
Precisely.

How many of us really know what the mind is? How can we not know what the mind is? Most never give it a thought. We just take it for granted. It’s our mind after all. But what is it really? Can you use your mind to see your mind? Would this mean that you had two minds? If not, what are you seeing? One half of a mind? Oh, never mind.

No, really (now there is another tangent we can go off on, “really”). After all, what is real? Hmm…..

No, now forget that. Once you have found your mind, you can work that one out for your own self. Self, another concept we take for granted. What is The Self? Is The Self the mind? Is the mind The Self? Is it just another name for the mind?

Does The Self include me? If not, then who is me? Is it the body which is attached to the eyes that are reading this page?

Confusing isn’t it? Let’s keep going. Where is the I, me, mind, self getting to? Where does this confusion reside? If the confusion clears, will my mind still be there? Where? “I” don’t know and “I” will never know.

Okay, okay. How can this be so difficult? It’s something I’ve always taken for granted! We all assume we know what it is. Let’s look more closely. Begin with the basics. Let’s see how you use your mind.

What do I mean by “how do you use your mind?” We know the mind definitely has an accelerator. It can think at a mile a minute. Give it a try.

First, turn your mind to a good thought; something that makes you feel pleasant. Something like eating a piece delicious piece of chocolate. That’s easy enough.

Now, turn your mind to a bad thought; something that makes you feel uncomfortable. Remember when you smelled something very foul. I’m sure you can do that quickly and easily too. All of us have been doing that all our lives.

Now here comes the big test. Can you make your mind stop? Who is in control here? You, your self, your mind?

A classical question often posed by a student to a Zen master is the question “What is Zen?”. This question has many variations. Often times it is asked “What is the prime teaching?” or “What is the holiest of truths?” or such other questions that the student presents in search of finding the essential teaching of Zen. There are two general forms of responses to this question. Actually, these two forms are but one form but come at the question in a different manner.

The first approach to the question is to prevent the student from continuing an intellectual examination of the issue. Some examples of masters’ responses include, “Go ask the lamp post”, “You will see it in the year of the donkey,” (in the Chinese calendar there is no year of the donkey). “The price of cotton is Five Dollars a pound”. Along these same lines there are inaudible responses which include the master not taking any action or asking the student to approach closer and then striking him and even giving a shout.

The second category of responses presents a description of mundane activities. For example, “What is Zen?”, answer: “Sleeping and eating”. Another example is after a meal the student asked the master the question “What is Zen?”. The master inquired “Have you finished eating?”; and the student replied “Yes.” The master replied “Go wash your bowl” and he walked away.

Often times these two categories of responses frustrate the Zen student to the point of exasperation. Other times students will believe that the study of Zen is trite and there is nothing to get in searching further.

It is pitiable that they take this position because at that moment they are more closer to the truth then they have ever been. The proper approach to Zen reminds me of a story concerning the late Jazz artist Louis Armstrong. Someone asked Mr. Armstrong, “What is Jazz?” and he replied “Man, if you have to ask you’ll never understand.” To some people this response would appear to be an insult. However, Mr. Armstrong was pointing his finger in the direction of the proper understanding of Jazz. That is that there is no intellectual concept of Jazz, there is simply the feeling of Jazz in one’s heart. Once this feeling arises then words are useless.

Zen can also be approached in this same manner. Zen is not a thing, an item or object which can be described and given substance, definition, or form. Zen could better be described as a verb without an object and a subject. Simply doing without the consciousness self of doing. Once a student asked Master Ummon “What is Zen?” The Master replied “not a thing”. The student then stated “I don’t understand.” The master replied “And you will never understand.” Is this Master’s response an insult or a lamp?

When the Zen master is asked “What is Zen?” there is no answer yet this is the answer! Any other answer to describe the “mental state” of Zen, the attainment of liberation or any other verbal description, would betray the essence of the practice itself. In fact, I even have difficulty in writing this article in a manner which does not betray the essence of the true nature.

The (non) duality of the “answerless answer” is at the heart of Zen. There is no answer yet an answer. There is no mind, yet a mind. When “is” and “is not” are reconciled or merged the answer becomes irrelevant.

Contrary to the appearance of the contradiction Zen is complete. It can not be any other way. There is no part that is not mind; but since all is mind there is no mind. See it in an instant. No subject, no object … just Thusness…

As we manage our daily life we must be aware of the consequences of our activities. By activities I mean the phenomenal occurrences of body, speech and mind. As a rule, we must remember that causes and conditions never fail. This is another way of saying that one reaps what one sows. The karmic retribution related to some actions of body, speech and mind is obvious. For instance, if we steal a million dollars from a charity or kill someone for money, then the karmic forces most certainly are going to be set into motion. This may result in instant karma (going to jail or being put to death as a punishment for our actions). It may wait for another rebirth but most certainly there will be retribution.

This article is not about these gross karmic consequences. These serious karmic events are analogous to buying an expensive diamond ring by using your credit card. At the end of the month a big credit card bill will come in the mail. What is more expensive are the day to day charges that we incur when we spend irresponsibly. At the end of the month these charges truly add up. Have you ever received a credit card bill at the end of the month and were surprised by the balance owed? Did you wonder how the bill became so high yet when you reviewed the credit card charges you realized that the bill was correct? Most of us do not evaluate the cost of our actions and overspend simply because of our inability to appreciate that these charges would add up.

Moment to moment, we are engaged in karmic activities of body, speech and mind. When you go to work do you have a frown on your face (body)? Are you cranky or grumpy (speech)? Do you have a bad attitude (mind)? Multiply these karmic activities by the number of people you come into contact with in a day. Now multiply that number by 365 days. Multiply that by the number of years you will live (70?). This could be a pretty large number. There is an often-told story of a prostitute that used to put a pin in the wall for each man that she serviced. One day as she was looking for a space to put the pin in the wall she was astonished that she could not find a place to put the next pin. In that moment, the totality of her life’s practices became clear to her. She saw the actions that she had been engaged in all her life. It came as a shock to her that all these pins indeed added up. She then realized the cost of her actions and chose to give up her profession.

Day to day, we create minor karmic consequences through body, speech, and mind. It may be that we told a lie, yelled at someone, or just thought of causing someone harm.

I once met a woman who was having trouble with a co-worker. She was so mad at this co-worker that she wished that the woman would fall down and break her leg. In that very next instant, the other woman fell down and broke her leg. The woman was shocked by the power of her mind to be able to do this. Was it a coincidence? I will leave that up to you to judge. More importantly, what we should recognize is the power of our present conduct. Moment to moment, we should be aware of what we are doing and what we are thinking. All actions and speech happened as a result of mental factors arising in mind. Take a moment to reflect upon your conduct in the past week. Using the example of the credit card billing, did you ever want to take something back to the store after realizing the cost? Maybe you just realized that you did not need that purchase. Take a look at your recent past. If you could change anything, what would it be? If you could take back words that you said, what would those words be? If you had unwholesome or negative thoughts, think about whether these thoughts were necessary or constructive. Weigh the costs of your actions, the costs in hurt and suffering that you have caused others. Did your actions cause that person to take some negative action?

I heard of a young woman who became pregnant with her boyfriend’s baby. They had not been trying to have a child. When she found out she was pregnant she was joyous. Then she aborted the baby because she was afraid that her controlling mother would get angry with her because she had conceived out of wedlock. She was very fearful of her mother. Who do you pity in this story? It truly is sad because all have a role in this karma. The girl’s mother has a role even though she did not know about the baby; simply because of her temper and general lack of tolerance. What should have been a joyous occasion was converted into a hellish trap for the young girl. Pity the girl who, because of her fear, took her baby’s life. Her ego could not bear the pressure the mother would put on her. Pity also the boyfriend, who was not careful enough and caused an unwanted child to enter this world. Pity the child who lost an important opportunity at a beneficial rebirth. Pity the mother who has a daughter who is terrified of her.

Now, take a look at the positive conduct that you were engaged in during the week. How have you helped others? Have you made someone smile? Did you help out a sick or emotionally disturbed friend? Did you take time out of your day to do something for someone without thinking that you would get something from your actions? These positive actions do help balance the charges. If you practice well, you will carry into the future positive karmic forces.

Regularly you should look at the consequences of both negative and positive conduct of body, speech and mind. Reflect upon how you have developed the practice of either positive or negative conduct in your life. Reflect upon about how many times you have engaged in this conduct. Examine the environment around you and your relationships with others. Look to see how much of a role you have played in those relationships.
A proper reflection on these points will allow you to assess the cost of the actions that you have taken which are based on selfish notions. It will allow you to see the present karmic conditions arising as a result of your attachment to this negative conduct. If performed properly one may even, like the prostitute, develop a great shame and repent. Such actions will create a conviction in mind not to engage in these negative conducts again. Through constant vigilance of mind, and with practice one’s body, speech and mind will naturally engage in positive actions and produce positive fruits.

Every day be mindful of the cost of even the most minute negative action of body, speech and mind. As an artist is aware of the picture he is painting, you should be aware of the environment you are painting around you. Be aware of the cost of this environment. What karmic retribution must you suffer for short moments of loss of control? Great positive actions will also produce great positive fruit. Bear in mind to be charitable and compassionate with all sentient beings that you encounter.

When people discover that I practice Ch’an, generally, their response is some gesture of mimicking an exaggerated meditative posture followed by some “Hmmmm” sound. People think that the Ch’an practice is some form of temporary escapism where one sits and “blanks” their mind.

What is more curious is that many Ch’an practitioners actually believe that this is the purpose of the Ch’an practice. I have interviewed many practitioners who are frustrated because they have not yet been able to stop their thoughts. This misconception about the Ch’an practice appears to be irrelevant and meaningless in its purpose and scope. For instance, a person might think, “What good is the practice if I can sleep or go to the movies and accomplish the same thing?” Such a person may not see the benefit of the Ch’an practice due to these misconceptions.

To the Ch’an practitioner who is trying to block thoughts, this perception of the practice will cause the practitioner to waste precious time trying to do something unnatural. One cannot stop thought simply by forcing the mind to stop thinking. This can lead to frustrating sittings and ultimately an abandonment of the practice.

To try to force the cessation of thoughts is analogous to a person trying to stop the sunlight from coming through a window just by using their bare hands. One might be able to stop some of the light from coming into the room. The room might appear to be darker but nevertheless, the light will persist in coming into the room. This is just the nature of light. Have you ever become frustrated or angry when the light comes into your room early in the morning and you still want to sleep? One should not think that the light is bad because it comes in when you do not want it to. The light is just following its natural properties. There is no good light or bad light. Your perception colors the observation of the light.

But let us suppose that you are able to block off all the light from coming into the room. You actually now would be in the dark. This is far from enlightenment. Your mind is now not functioning naturally. Truly, now your mind has no relevance or purpose. What good is this? Not much but a trap. What purpose does this trap serve to cease the natural functioning of the mind? Yet some practitioners seek this state.

The purpose in mediation is to provide a controlled environment to allow the mind to settle by not grasping at phenomena whether perceived in the “mind” or in phenomena. Please understand that phenomena (light) occurs within mind. It is neither good nor bad, just a product of causes and conditions. When we sit, it is natural to have thoughts arising in minds – thoughts of loved ones, problems, upcoming events and past memories. These thought patterns would naturally arise in mind because these events were important to us (grasping). When one sits in Ch’an however, one is aware and clear what these images and thoughts are and why they arrive. Realizing that as one is sitting and using the method, these thoughts have nothing to do with the method. One simply allows the thoughts to seemingly arise and fall within mind, without adding any more energy to them by grasping at them. To grasp at phenomena means to focus on these images and thoughts. To think about it, to look at it, ponder it, anticipated it, regret it or to fear it is to allow desire and emotion to arise within mind. In grasping, the mind becomes unsettled like stirring up a hornet’s nest. Thoughts and emotions rise up and down to what appears to be a never-ending cycle of more images.

It is this attachment to these images that causes our suffering. It causes us to lose our way in the practice by abandoning our method. More importantly, it causes us to lose our way to engage in wholesome practices and in life. When we are on our method (in sitting or when we rise and our mind is stable), we encounter the same phenomena and the same mind images as we would with an unstable mind. When these images are encountered in daily life, the mind need not stir. Mind is aware of the occurrences. But without grasping, these images (little by little) will have less effect on the emotions. In the long run, our actions will begin to be unconsciously conducted by wisdom and compassion, rather than the emotions of desire, fear, greed, hatred or craving. Ultimately, when the mind becomes very stable, one simply does what needs to be done, instead of what one desires to do. Wisdom and compassion evidently merge with mind.

In summary, do not try to drive out thoughts, phenomena or sensations from the mind when meditating. Thoughts, phenomena or sensations have no place to go but in mind, thus, these are natural occurrences. Ignore them as one ignores a fence-barking dog as one is walking by. The barking dog has nothing to do with the matter at hand, which is simply walking. Likewise, when one is in mediation, one should not be concerned with those types of thoughts. Just stay with the method. In addition, when one is not sitting in meditation, the mind should not grasp at phenomena. This is the process of stabilization of mind. Eventually, one will begin to act calmer and clearer in all situations that they are confronted with. The “I”, “me”, “mine” will no longer govern the present moment. Rather, wisdom and unconditional compassion will arise naturally.

Whenever I am around Buddhist monks I learn a great deal. It is not always what the monks say directly to you in the form of a lesson. It is often the manner in which they live their lives which is truly the lesson. One who is very quiet and calms their mind will obtain a wealth of wisdom through observing a well disciplined monk’s actions. The well disciplined monks live every moment in the present moment. They are mindful of others. They are aware that they live in a world full of desires and vexations. They are aware that such desires and vexations effect the conduct of those around them.

Yet the monks try not to be moved by this whirlwind of desires and vexations around them. When wisdom dictates, they exhibit great patience in the faults of others or the circumstances that arise. They are not affected by the impermanent phenomena observed around them.

They have disciplined their minds and body to be released from the desires, petty jealousies, greed, hate, anger and other vexing emotions and perceived needs that the human condition often presents. They understand that these desires and vexations lead to the creation of endesirable karma. They understand that even a wrongful thought can create such karma.

To a beginning practitioner, it is often difficult to explain what is meant by not allowing the mind to be moved. However, if one observes a well disciplined monk, one can readily see what is meant by this concept.

Be Like Monks Walking Through The Water

The monks walk through the human realm as if they are walking in a pool of water. Each step is slowly and deliberately placed in front of the other. If they encounter an obstacle underneath the water they take the most expedient path either to cross over the obstacle or move around it.

Their motions in the water are extremely slow and careful. They try not to disturb the water so as to cause any waves or ringlets to form. They try to maintain a serenity as they pass through the water.

They may be totally immersed in the phenomena (water) around them and yet such phenomena do not move them. They are mindful of the fact that each movement they make in this water may create waves or concentric ringlets. They know these waves effect all others in the same body of water. Those closest to them will be effected more than those further away.

Walk Upon the Water

If the monks practice well, it is possible that they may rise above the water so that no trace of their crossing of this water remains. Thus the monk’s path may be to walk upon the water.

Another example that is often used to illustrate this point is the idea of the lotus flower. While the lotus flower is rooted in muddy water, its blossom blooms above the water. Its petals are not tainted by the muddy water while the body of the lotus blossom plant receives its nourishment from the muddy water.

In the Christian doctrine it is said that Jesus walked upon the water. This example is often used by Christian clergy to illustrate the point of Jesus Christ’s miraculous powers. However, I believe there is a deeper lesson to be learned from this example in the Bible. Under Christian doctrine, Jesus Christ, although being the son of God, was nevertheless a human being. He walked upon the earth to show all humans that they were capable of reaching the pure land if only they could keep their thoughts, actions and speech pure. While it is conceivable that such a display of miraculous powers may be performed for the purpose of increasing the faith of the followers, in this example, lies a deeper message. How can this human walk upon the water? It is not blind faith that grants this human the ability to perform such a miraculous fete. It is the act of treading upon the water, with a clean mind and spirit that lifts the person out of the water like the lotus flower opening above the water. The lesson is that while one walks among the delusions, defilements and imperfections of the human realm one does not have to be soiled by such phenomena. If one lives their lives in accordance with the precepts of proper living, one can be truly lifted beyond this phenomena of the human realm.

Take the Path Yourself

It is no coincidence that the great teachers that have appeared in the human realm to teach the Dharma have taken the human form. They serve as the example that with the proper practice of the Dharma one can rise above all of the imaginings and confusions of the human realm .

The example of walking upon the water is also symbolic for another reason. That is, that the faith alone is not enough to deliver a person to the pure land. A person must actually walk the path by himself. Thus faith alone cannot deliver the person.

The symbolism goes even deeper. One should see that the ultimate, universal truth seed is within all sentient beings. One cannot look outside of himself to find this universal truth. All that lies outside of himself is phenomena. When one turns inward, beyond the self one will realize their true nature.

Create No Karmic Waves

We now return to the example of the monks walking lightly in the water. Why is it important not to make waves in the water? The most obvious answer is to live a calm and peaceful life in harmony with those around us. But to the monks the reasoning is much deeper. The monks see the true nature of these waves they create as karmic seeds, which will transcend this lifetime and cause waves in future lifetimes. They recognize whatever karma is caused in this lifetime ,by the law of causality, must be repaid in the future.

The monks also recognize that while in this lifetime they maintain a human form, they may be reborn in any one of six different realms, depending upon the karma they created in this lifetime. Even within the rebirth of each realm one’s lot in that lifetime is also dependant upon ones karma. For example, perhaps one is reborn in the animal realm. One can be reborn as a dog who is chained to a tree and beaten by his master every day or one can be reborn as a dog who is pampered and sleeps with his master every night.

To those who are greedy they may suffer the fate of a hungry ghost in their next lifetime. Those who are very bad may end up in the hell realm to suffer for innumerable lifetimes.

No matter the realm one may end up in, the monks recognize that these realms are still just phenomena. They use their wisdom to attempt to liberate themselves from the bindings of countless rebirths in these realms.

Walk as if Carrying a Bowl Full of Oil

It is with this understanding that one can see why the monks tread so lightly with each step. The greater the appreciation of the consequence of each act, the more careful and deliberate each movement and thought. Master Sheng-yen uses the analogy that one should practice as if they are carrying a fully filled bowl of oil. When ones daily practice is kept in the present moment, one will not spill a single drop of the oil. However if one races from one thought to another or from one action to another, without fully appreciating its consequences, it is only a matter of time before the oil will spill from the bowl. In your lifetime, it is hoped that you will take the lead from the monks’ action. Tread lightly and carefully wherever you go, do not leave a trace of yourself; then, you will discover the Buddha nature.

“To be or not to be”. This statement was painfully uttered by the prince in Shakespeare’s powerful tragedy Hamlet. In this soliloquy Hamlet ponders the age old question of life, death and the uncertainties of what follow. Shall Hamlet remain in this human realm which causes him great suffering or “escape” to oblivion? Paradise? or Hell?

It is a sorrowful condition that Hamlet is in. He has no peace in the human realm. Yet he has no guarantee that his life will be better by committing suicide. No doubt Hamlet did not practice Ch’an. If he practiced Ch’an he would be much better equipped to, as Shakespeare put it, suffer the “slings and arrows” of his tormentors. In some manner or another we have all experienced a certain degree of Hamlet’s dilemma. How many times in your life have you ever wished that you were somewhere other than where you were at the immediate moment? The more you focused on the unpleasurable situation the more you suffered.

Do you believe that by Hamlet ending his life that he will improve his lot? The Ch’an practitioner knows he will only acerbate his problem. Whatever his condition is in this lifetime, he will carry that as the beginning seed of his next lifetime. But this is not the question of this essay. The question here is how does Hamlet end his suffering. As stated earlier, if he chooses life he sees only suffering, if he chooses death there is the uncertainty of what will follow. Poor Hamlet cannot find peace anywhere. Hamlet’s greatest enemy is himself. He only sees his tormentor’s actions. He does not see what has come before. To him the slings and arrows that he is suffering are uncalled for. To him there is no rhyme nor reason to these actions. To him there is no justice in the world.

Turn the Other Cheek

Have you ever felt this way? Are you confused as to why innocent people are persecuted? Why do animals suffer so? Did you ever feel that someone was unnecessarily picking at you or disliked you for no particular reason at all? Did you ever feel, like Hamlet, that the whole world was against you. It is difficult to use intellectual reasoning to fathom life’s seemingly unjust course. It is the ineffectiveness of intellectual reasoning, which in fact, allows the suffering of what appears to be inequities to affect a person’s mind, and thus cause suffering to such a person.

Why is this so? It is because the intellectual reasoning is only focused on the “effect” of a particular situation. If someone is to slap you in the face, what would you make of it? Rather, what would your “self” make of it? If you have not practiced Ch’an you would feel as if it is a personal affront to you. This affront would be more aggravated if there were other people present. What would your feelings be towards the person who slapped you? Would you hate this person? Would you have a feeling for revenge? Would you coward from this person? Indeed, it would be difficult to love this person. The Bible says to “turn the other cheek”. Could you do so?

At the time of the slapping the conscious and subconscious mind will begin a speedy assessment of this assault on the flesh. For example, immediately after the slap, it is likely that even before it reaches your conscious mind, the subconscious mind is instructing the body to protect itself or to turn itself away from the assailant. The assault on the flesh is a significant occurrence in a persons life. Unless one is a pugilist, one is not accustom to having their body struck.

How one responds to this attack is very telling of a person. If a person is not living in the present moment they will only experience an attack on the flesh. Perhaps at that moment they would immediately plan and carry out their counterattack. If the moment is not propipitous for action, one will hold this feeling of revenge inside them until such time as they are able to carry out their revenge.

There are different types of attacks that one may experience in their lives. One may experience an unprovoked attack by a thief, a bully or the very unfortunate circumstance of a rapist. In these situations one truly must be living in the present moment to ascertain whether or not a counter attack or escape is the most prudent course of action.

Bodhidharma’s Slap

Suppose you are in a Ch’an master’s presence, and while you are meditating you begin dozing. Although you believe you are in a deep state of samadhi you are actually in a deep slumber. The next thing you experience is a whack! The Ch’an master has hit you with his incense board. It is highly unlikely that you would jump off your meditation cushion and engage in a counter attack against the Ch’an master. But what of your mind? What is your mind doing? Is it still calm? Most likely it is now alert, but is it calm? Is there a feeling in your mind of embarrassment? Of wanting to escape? What are the sensations that you are feeling? Where do they go in your body? Do you perceive this event as a fortunate event or an unfortunate event?

Once Bodhidharma, after his arrival in China, was approached by a very high level Chinese monk who wanted to test Bodhidharma’s Ch’an understanding. Bodhidharma slapped the Chinese monk, all to the surprise of the monks who had accompanied the high level Chinese monk. All of the monks were shocked and angered by Bodhidharma’s action except for the monk who had been slapped. This monk who had been slapped immediately began to bow to Bodhidharma. Do you know why? In the moment that Bodhidharma slapped this monk this monk realized his strong attachment to himself. He saw in an instant what the subconscious and conscious mind were sensing, perceiving, and plotting. He saw in the wink of an eye’s time his “self,” and how his self held on to every perceived hostile act towards it. Finally, he perceived a hand hitting flesh. A mere observation of nothing more than phenomena arising and passing. With this arising and passing of phenomena there is nothing to hold on to. So how can one have been slighted by another. If you can grasp the meaning of this Bodhidharma story you would be better able to understand those incidents that take place in your life which you perceive as an aggravated assault against yourself,and which you feel requires immediate retaliation either by words or action.

See the Roots of Your Suffering

There is one other aspect that will assist you in understanding those perceived assaults against your “self”. As we discussed earlier, if there is a perceived action taken against you by another person, whether by words or physical conduct, from where does this action come from? You might say that this action comes from an incident that arose five minutes before or the day before. In all likelihood you will still be only seeing the affect of the perceived transgression against you. You might not see when this conduct actually took root. This is the problem that many people are afflicted with. Because they can only see the action that is being perpetrated towards them they do not understand from whence and where this action came from. As a result they feel that some form of counter retribution is required to protect the self. Perhaps not even as much to protect the self than as to satiate the self.

Have you ever said to yourself “I wish I wouldn’t have said that”, “I wish I wouldn’t have done that”? More than likely these feeling come after you have engaged in some counter attack conduct after a perceived assault on the self.

Perceive the Scale Not Just the Weight

When people are attacking us or acting bad towards us we often feel as if a great weight is pressing down upon us. All we want to do is lift this weight from us. Unfortunately, many people try to lift the weight by counter attacking. This is only a temporary remedy as you will reap what you sow. After you have counter attacked you feel as if this mental weight has been lifted from you. However, when the re-counter attack happens the weight once again is put upon you. This is because the law of causality is working. In the law of causality, whatever has been taken away must be replaced at a latter time. Whatever action is caused must at some later date be returned. The counter attack merely serves to place the unpleasantness back in the court of the person who has served the unpleasantness to you. After sending this ball of retribution back to this person most assuredly they will once again return it to you. You are engaged in a crazy and endless tennis game of retribution. And you will suffer. You will suffer for not just this lifetime but for lifetimes.

How does one stop this madness? One stops it first by perceiving what is occurring at the time the retribution is happening. One must see it as one side of a scale. What has previously been lifted from your side of the scale must now be returned. If you received this retribution you must be without any thought of hostility or anger or revenge in your mind. You cannot think of taking any counter conduct towards the perpetrator. Try to see this retribution as something that has taken its seed perhaps countless lifetimes ago. You must hold the ball. Do not send it back with more retribution. Any momentary satiation of lifting the weight from you through revenge will soon be replaced with a new ball. However, if you do not send the ball of retribution back to the other person you will be liberated. Then you will eliminate a small part of your karmic affliction.

Accept the Retribution and Repay Karmic Debts

As you begin to conduct your life in this manner, your life will change – as you now plant “good karmic seeds.” You did not have to wait for the next lifetime to obtain the serenity of the discovery of where this retribution comes from. Your suffering in this lifetime will be diminished and hopefully some day eradicated. As you see those who wish you harm as merely repaying something that you have done to them in the past, it is as if you have now repaid an old debt. Now, do you want to borrow more money? Do you want to owe someone something that will have to be repaid in the future? Or do you want to live a peaceful life.

When you see life in this manner, that there is a series of retribution that come to you, then you will begin to obtain wisdom to understand life’s seeming injustices. You can understand why things happen because you no longer are looking at the effect. You are looking at the entire scale. So when someone who appears to be innocent suffers so much you know that that person’s suffering arises from past events that have occurred in that person’s life, or a past lifetime, and the retributions are now coming to this person. It is our blindness that causes us not to see the entire scale. Once seeing the scale, our life and those around us will be enriched.

It is hoped that you will go through life understanding this concept of cause and effect. When the retribution comes to you you should not be so sorrowful about it. You should use it as a measure to practice, to keep your mind in the present moment. Do not think immediately of retaliation. Use your wisdom to understand what is occurring.

Retribution Comes Like the Flu; No Need to Suffer

Some people go though their life such that because they are happy at present, when the source of their happiness is taken away from them, they are sorrowful. Ohh, how they suffer from the fact that their happiness has been taken away! When the happiness returns they are constantly worried about when their happiness will be taken away from them again. They constantly worry about things that may happen to them in the future. They worry about paying their bills, they worry about whether their boyfriend or girlfriend will leave them, they worry about whether they will pass a test or not. They are constantly worrying about whether they will be late to arrive at an appointment. Always worried, always suffering, it is all in the mind, nothing but the mind.

You should see life as a series of times when you have a healthy body and when you have the flu. Most likely those of you that are reading this essay have had many encounters with the flu. Most assuredly the flu is perceived by you as not a comfortable event in your life. More than likely you will have several more bouts with the flu in your life.

Yet while a person is healthy they do not go around worrying “Oh my goodness I am going to get the flu someday. Oh I know I am going to get the flu, woe is me. I am so worried about the flu – it will make me feel so uncomfortable. I will have to blow my nose. I will be hot and cold and I will have to lie in bed and my body will ache. Ohh, and I may even throw up. Oh what suffering.”

From where does this suffering come from? The suffering comes from the mind. Why? Because the person who is perceiving the flu does not have the flu right now. They are only thinking of the suffering that the flu may bring them. However, we do not think this way when we are healthy. We do not think about the flu that we are going to catch. Yet it is nearly inevitable that we will catch the flu again.

Then why are we constantly thinking of other unpleasantries that could happen to us in the future. Such as economic, family, or scholastic failures that have not yet come to pass. We worry about them; we keep them in our mind. These thoughts are so real to us. Our suffering is so real. Yet is has not happened. Then why do we suffer? We suffer because our mind creates the suffering, not the event itself. How many times in your life have you worried about something that never happened? How many hours, days or months did you spend worrying. What a waste of time. Like the worrying about the flu, potentially good moments spent worrying about bad moments. Live in the present, there are no regrets of the past and no fears of the future there.

Returning to the flu example for a moment. I once attended a seven day Ch’an retreat. During this retreat one of the participants had a severe case of the flu. After we finished the retreat I asked him if he was o.k. His response showed a great deal of wisdom. “You should try this sometime. It was quite an experience. I did not feel uncomfortable.” Why didn’t he feel uncomfortable? Because the suffering is created by the mind. His mind was not on the idea that having the flu was uncomfortable. It was merely in the present moment. He did not suffer thinking how long he had had the flu or how much longer he would have it. He was only in present moment. Even when you have the flu there are times which are more uncomfortable than others. Nevertheless when your mind is in the present moment there is only that moment. There is no suffering in the present moment.

It is hoped that as you go through life you will not be like the poor soul Hamlet who suffers so from his own mind’s wanderings. You should be like this fellow from the Ch’an retreat, always keeping your mind in the present moment. Not coloring your life with pleasant or unpleasant. Merely experiencing life at its fullest. You should understand from where the retribution against you originates. Do not send the ball back. Walk in peace and wisdom.

You are now fifty years old. It was not long ago that you were a child. And in another beat of a dragon fly’s wing you will return to the earth as dust. But in fact, you have never left the earth and the earth has never left you.

You have taken the path as a martial arts practitioner and teacher. You must see that the measure of man is not in the speed of his fist but the slowness of his tongue. The power of a man is not in the impact of his kick but the broadness of his compassion and the character of a man is not in his ability to overcome an opponent but in his willingness to understand his opponent.

As you continue on your journey you will discover the noble purpose of your training. You will transcend from being a fighter of men to a Bodhisattva Saint warrior. The difference is one who is a fighter seeks to overcome an opponent whereas a Bodhisattva warrior seeks to overcome himself.

As a warrior you need to find out what your original nature is. This nature is true and permanent. Whatever is not permanent is not real and is not true. For instance, your body is not permanent. All things that you see through your eyes are equally not permanent, they are constantly in a state of flux. All that you feel, taste, hear, smell and think are empty.

Contemplate the illusion of time. The past is gone therefore must be abandoned. Do not keep score or lament that which has not come to past. Likewise, the future is not real, it is only an idea of things that may come to pass. But there is no permanency in these ideas. With no past or future you are left with the pinpoint of the moment to live in. Your body and your mind must be in this pin point of time. Always be aware of where you are and what you are doing. From the most mundane act such as eating to the most concentrated act, Each moment must be with the same awareness of the present. Live your life as if you are catching a feather with a fan.

So long as you put an object before your eyes and see it as different than yourself you will create a discriminatory mind. This discriminatory mind sees good and bad, right and wrong, happiness and sorrow. All sorts of vexatious desires and aversions arise from this discriminatory mind. As a result one’s mind will not be peaceful. Instead, one’s mind will continually give rise to suffering. Thus, all suffering is created by the mind. See this in an instant, do not think about it.

Brother, I do not believe that you will initially grasp the depth of what I am writing to you. It is hoped that you will keep this letter and perhaps share it with your sensei and your students. Exploring the contents of this letter, as well as continuing further practice of Zen, you will find that I have given you a diamond. This diamond is able to cut through all false thinking. This diamond is your true and original nature. It is real and not false.

However, this diamond comes to you in a box of your own devise. You will not be able to see this diamond until such time as there is no individual self. The tools that you use to open this box are morality, practice and wisdom. Use of each of these three tools will in turn strengthen the others. Ultimately you will find that the diamond was always with you and in fact there was never a box to begin with. It is called passing through the gateless gate.

Please accept this gift as a measure of my universal compassion. Do not see it as someone trying to teach you something. In fact, there is nothing that I can teach you. In turn there is nothing that you can attain.

My final wish to you is that you go through life like the sea. You should see everything as the mountain. With humility all of the mountains treasures will ultimately flow to you. Peace be with you always.